Northmen trio in wrestling individual state finals

March 10, 2004|By ANDY SNEDDON NEWS-REVIEW SPORT WRITER

It's down to the best of the best, and three Northmen are in the mix.

Three Petoskey High School wrestlers will attempt to prove their mat superiority under the bright lights on the big stage beginning Thursday, March 11, at the Division II state individual tournament at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Petoskey's Keith Sterly (275 pounds), James Archambault (135), and Jake Stradling (130) are in the field of 224 wrestlers spread among 14 weight classes in the pinnacle of the high school wrestling season.

"All three of them have a good chance to medal," Petoskey coach Ray Arthur said. "Six losses between the three of them, that's pretty good. They all have the ability."

Advertisement

The three Northmen enter the tournament with a combined 136-6 record, and two carry the all-important factor of state-tournament experience.

Sterly, who is 53-1, is the defending state runner-up at 275. His lone loss this season came to Alma's Alex Catlin, who is wrestling in the Division III state finals.

Archambault, 42-2, is making his second straight appearance in the finals. Last season, he went 1-2 at 125 pounds. Stradling, 41-3, is making his first trip to the finals.

Arthur added that the skill level from wrestler to wrestler at the state finals is minimal, after all, each of the 16 wrestlers per weight class has survived a grueling two weeks of district and regional tournaments.

Success on the big stage of the state tournament often comes down to health, desire and the ability to handle the pressure, Arthur said.

"If they wrestled the finals on three different weekends, you'd have three different results (in each weight class)," he said. "That's how close the individuals are to each other in ability level.

"If you're uninjured, not ill, not psychologically intimidated by all the mats and the huge crowd, it can be a good weekend for you.

"Handling the three days in a row … it's physically demanding. The body has to hold up for three days."

Sterly will open against sophomore Mark Kendall of Allen Park, 33-21. If he wins, he'll face one of two juniors, Adam Anonides of Lapeer West, 45-10, or Dusty Shugars of Three Rivers, 5-2.

Archambault is scheduled to open against Jason Mitchell of Battle Creek Lakeview, 38-7. If Archambault wins that match, he would face either Ryan Cooper of Carleton Airport, 44-7, or Jared Chauvin of Harper Woods Notre Dame, 23-14.